Friday, May 15, 2015

Continued director turbulence Röhss – Göteborgs-Posten

The boss Tom Hedqvist leave abruptly his post at the Röhsska Museum. He becomes the second manager in three years as surprising resignation from the museum for years struggling with a financial deficit.

– We wanted had left Tom until his appointment expires. Now it’s not so, and then we will make the best of it, says Anna Rosengren, since March the new Head of the Culture Administration in Gothenburg.

In January 2013 was appointed Tom Hedqvist, designer and principal of Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, the new head of the Röhsska Museum. He was recruited by the controversial graphic artist and museum man Ted Hesselbom, who hastily resigned in August last year. Hesselbom, currently head of Sigtuna museum, then had certainly attracted a new and larger audiences to the museum, but also created critical headlines for questionable purchases by the museum’s funds and more.

The former head of the Culture Department Björn Sandmark was satisfied with Röhsska new chief: “Tom has just the experience and specialization, both nationally and internationally, that can strengthen the Röhsska museum’s position as the leading museum of design, craft and fashion,” he said then.

– Tom is an authority in the field of design, so it was a very funny recruitment, remember Sandmark today.

– I liked the idea that he would be able to develop new perspectives on design art, he says of Hedqvist 65 years time He was recruited to Röhss.

– I also think it happened very good things at Röhsska then he access, and that the focus has been on other things than before.

Now announces the same Tom Hedqvist he leaves his post, and the earlier than planned. His appointment, which is renewed annually because of his age, running the paper out in February in 2016.

Anna Rosengren believe that the end of the year is an appropriate time for a new manager to take office on Röhss. In a letter to the GP aware of, she writes, somewhat bureaucratic, as an explanation that “the aim of the administration’s development is to implement any changes from 1 January 2016 so that a new manager can be with and carry out the change in the long term.”

Calls began with Tom Hedqvist to “listen to what skills he considered that his successor should possess.” During the talks should Hedqvist, surprisingly for the Administration, having announced that he intends to leave his duties already May 31 Thus he becomes the second manager in three years, leaving the museum director post at short notice.

It’s not that you give Tom Hedqvist fired?

– I have not done, responds Anna Rosengren.

– Tom has decided to step down a mandate, something he in our conversations explained that he found it difficult to muster the motivation, then he will not be there long term .

But why is given, he did not trust to remain more long term?

– Since I clearly when I took office, got the information that Tom Hedqvist had his appointment extended for a year, although he has already reached retirement age. So the thought has not even entered my mind.

Are you dissatisfied with Tom Hedqvist effort at the museum?

– No, he has very good qualifications and a network which is extremely valuable for Röhss. But he has, as I said, reached retirement age. We see it as well if a new manager comes in and can work more long term.

And it is not empty, you mean?

– No, Tom turns 68 early next year. It’s good to get into a new person who can drive the museum’s long-term work and also be part of the administration’s overall development.

The year the resolve museum now defection with a temporary solution. Unit managers Anika Johansson and Christa tower-Lindhe has enhanced confidence and will receive a “clearly defined mandate”, in collaboration with HR Manager, CFO and Anna Rosengren yourself.

What is the mission ?

– It is being articulate, and will present to staff on 2 June. So I would like to come back on it.

How stable is the museum’s economy really at the moment?

– Röhss has lost a national government network missions that provided a half a million annually. Something museum authorities also found out very late, so this year we had a deficit of working out, Anna says Rosengren.

In the autumn, the intention is to begin recruitment of yet another new head to the Röhsska Museum, where although the majority of the 38 employees had difficulty motivating themselves to go to work. A stressful situation employee surveys testified for several years.